Can-opener



.G. A. CARLSON.

CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FILEDJUNE 26, I919.

1,336,126. PatentedApr. 6, 1920.

l STATES PATENT orrrcn.

GUSTAV A. CA.RLSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BOYE NEEDLE COMPANY, OF OHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CAN-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Application filed June 26, 1919. Serial No. 306,817.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV A. QAnLsoN, a subject of the King of Sweden, residlng at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Can- Openers, of whlch the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to canopeners of the type adapted to the purpose ofopening sealed tin cans, and the primary object is to provide a device of this character which can be manufactured at very small cost, and which'is well adapted to its purpose. 1

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a canopener embodying the invention; Fig. 2', a broken side elevational view of the same; Fig. 3, a broken plan view of the same, the dotted lines indicating brokenly a can; Fig. l, a transverse sectional view of the fulcrum-member of the device, the section being taken as indicated at line 4 of Fig. 3; and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 views similar to F 1g. 4, showing different forms of anti-slip edges with which the fulcrum-member may be provided for the purpose of preventing slipping during the cutting operation, which is performed by a prying operation.

The improved device comprises a blade 1 having a shank 1 which forms an obtuse angle with the blade; and a handle 2 on which the blade is rigidly mounted through the medium of its shank.

The blade and shank may be formed from a suitable bar of steel whose end-portion is furcated. One of the furcations is fashioned to provide the blade 1 which is curved both edgewise, or in its own plane, and in a transverse plane, to conform, in a general way, to the contourof the circumference of the can. The other furcation, which lies beneath or back of the blade 1 is shortened and bent so as to extend crosswise beneath the lower edge of the base-portion of the blade .1, thus affording a transverse fulcrum-member 1", adapted to bear upon the upper edgeportion of thecan. The furcations are pro vided by splitting the end-portion of the steel bar initially; and the bearing, or fulcram-member 1 is provided by shortening the lower furcation, bending the metal somewhat out of the plane of the blade, and then ferential wall of the bending it crosswise of the blade, so that the fulcrum-member projects beyond both sides of the shank, as will be most clearly understood from Fig. 3.

The blade 1 is provided with a bevel 3 which produces a sharpcutting edge 3 which is flush with the outer surface of. the blade, that is, with the convex side of the blade. The blade also curves downwardly away from the plane of the upper edge of the shank 1, so that the blade forms, in effect, an obtuse angle with said shank. At the extremity of-the blade is provided a penetrating point 4 which is adapted to pierce the metal of the top of the can. The point 4 extends at about the same angle with reference to the handle-2 as does the shank 1, so far as downward inclination is concerned, and said point has a blunt which may be slightly rounded. The purpose c' this blunt surface is to provide a bearing which will engage the lower surface of the top wall of the can at the end of a cutting stroke, so that the tin will not be torn and the blade will always have its point beneath the top of the can, after it has once been entered. Preferably the penetrating point 4 is offset inwardly slightly from the plane of the blade, so that while the point may move in contact with the circumcan, the cutting edge of the blade will operate to shear the metal off the top close to the corner of the can.

The fulcrum-member l 'lies substantially below and back of the blade 1, and it will be noted from Fig. 2 that the blade is so curved downwardly as to bring the pointportion 4 substantially in front of the fulcrum-member. The lower edge of the fulcrum-member is preferably beveled rearwardly and upwardly, so as to provide an anti-slip corner 5, as shown in Fig. 4.

Figs. 5,6, and 7 show the same fulcrummember with the anti-slipedge formed according to slight variations. Thus Fig. 5 shows the edge 5 formed by a double bevel; Fig. 6 shows the edge 5 formed by a single bevel which,inclines rearwardly and downwardly; and Fig. 7 shows an edge 5 formed by hollow-grinding the lower edge of the fulcrum-member. The exact detail is unimportant, but it is desirable to provide in some suitable manner against slippage.

The operation will be readily understood. Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the can-opener upper surface 4 I causes a fres 35 I throw the grip-portion of 'in relation to the outline of the upper porqf the can. In opening a can, the

point 4 is subportion ofthe can; the operator then presses the handle, causing the cutter edge 3. to sever the tin-until. the blunt surfaced of the point of the blade engages the lower surface of the can-top. A fresh hold is then taken by elevating the handle and moving the device ahead until the base-portion of the blade engages the tin and the fulcrum- 5 member engages the can in thenew position.

Downward .ressure. of the handle then cut to be made. The operation is repeated as often as may be necessary.

Y It will be understood that the device constitutes, in efiect, a lever of the first class,

4 the blade,.or,the'shank-.portion of the blade, being equip with a fulcrum-member which is adapted to'bear on the corner' of the can, this member being preferably rigid and 125 formed integrally with the shank-portion of the blade. Again, the angle which the cutt, portion 'of the blade forms with the shank of the blade and the angle which the handle forms with relation to the shank of V the blade render the device very convenient in use. It will be noted in Fig. 3 that while the cutting portion of the blade. conforms, in a general way, to the circumference of the can, the angles of the device are such as to by Letters Patent is:

the handle well awa from the can at the end of the cutting stro e, so that there is no possibility of injuring'the hand, even case such pressure should be exerted in the cutting operation as to cause the point-portionpf the'blade by any chance to tear the man a allow the hand to descend unexpectedly under the force being applied.

As shown, the shank-portion of theblade is preferably provided with a perforation 6-, by means of which the device may be hung --upon-a nail or hook.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, claim should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new and desire. to secure A can-opener in the for first class, comprising a handleand a blade having a transversely cuiyedvportion provided with a forwardly and upwardly presented cutting edge andprovided with a penetrating point having a blunt upper wall, said blade having at its lower edge-portion a furcation which is bent laterally from the plane of the blade and-then bent back and extended across the lower edge of the blade back of the cutting portion to afford a transverse fulcrum member adapted to bear on the can.

- GUSTAV A. 'CARLSON.

but the appended 55 I Ofa lever of the 

